Rolls-Royce has received an order from its distributor Smith Power Products to provide two 1,500kW mtu Kinetic PowerPacks (KPPs) for NOVVA Data Centers, the pioneers of sustainable, secure colocation in the Western United States. The two KPPs will provide emergency backup power for an expansion at the company’s Colorado Springs data center. The Power Systems division of Rolls-Royce has already delivered over 50MW of mtu emergency diesel gensets for NOVVA’s various locations through Smith Power Products.
NOVVA Data Centers places a strong emphasis on conservation and sustainability, so choosing a backup power system that fit this vision was also a significant consideration. The KPP’s battery-free design and ability to run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO)/ renewable diesel fits in perfectly with NOVVA’s environmental approach. Additionally, Smith Power will be providing a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system to nearly eliminate the emission of nitrogen oxides when the system is running. Also included in the scope of supply are custom enclosures for the units, including 24-hour fuel storage.
Unlike static UPS systems where batteries are required to pick up the immediate load before the diesel engine fires up, the KPP is considered a dynamic UPS system. It uses stored kinetic energy from the flywheel to power the synchronous machine and provide an immediate response until the engine comes online seconds later to take over the load.
Nick Paolo, Business Development Manager, Smith Power Products said: “The space and cost savings from the battery-free design of the KPP system were key considerations for NOVVA in deciding on this solution for an expansion at their Colorado Springs location. We have already installed over 50MW of emergency standby power for NOVVA’s various locations based on mtu Series 4000 gensets, so we’re excited to demonstrate the same absolute reliability the KPP technology has to offer.”
The KPPs will be built at the Rolls-Royce competence center in Liege, Belgium and are scheduled to be commissioned in Q4 2024. They will be supported locally by a full-service maintenance contract to ensure the system performs at the highest level for its 20+ year lifecycle.
